LibGuides: University of British Columbia: Xwi7xwa Library

General Information

Facility:	University of British Columbia Xwi7xwa Library
Address:	1985 West Mall, Vancouver, B.C. Canada V6T 1Z2
Phone:	(604) 822-8738
FAX:	(604) 822-8944
Email:	N/A
Reference hours:	11:00am-3:00pm weekdays

About the Library:

Beginning as the Indian Education Resource Centre in the 1970s, the library became officially known as the Xwi7xwa Library in 1993, when the Native Indian Teacher Education Program collection was transferred to its newly built location, alongside the new Longhouse, by the First Nations House of Learning.

The Xwi7xwa (pronounced: whei-wha) Library was incorporated into the University of British Columbia Library System in 2005 after a unanimous recommendation by the Senate Library Committee to the president of UBC, who immediately accepted the proposal. As of January 2014, the Xwi7xwa Library is that only Aboriginal branch of a university library in Canada.

Hours of Operation
For holiday closings and up-to-date information.

Research Collections and Facilities

Vancouver Campus

Okanagan Campus

Okanagan Library

Summary of Collections

Collection size: As of January 2014 this important special collection contained nearly 11,500 items, none in Japanese. The Xwi7xwa Library is focused on providing information about the First Nations and other indigenous peoples, both of Canada and internationally. The majority of its collection is in English, with a supplemental collection in the native languages of the indigenous peoples.

Databases

cIRcle
The University of British Columbia's digital repository, cIRcle is an open access initiative created by the UBC community. It is designed to showcase and preserve the university's intellectual work while keeping it freely available to anyone on the web.

Online Resources

Indigenous Research Guides
These guides include search strategies for finding resources that are relevant to the multidisciplinary study of Indigenous topics and materials written from Indigenous perspectives, including a Okanagan Syilx Research Guide.
Research Guides
A list of all the research guides developed and maintained by the University of British Columbia. These include the research guides developed by Xwi7xwa Library staff, including Indian residential school systems in Canada, Aboriginal studies, and more.

Access

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How to Use the Facility

Library Access For Visitors
Guests are welcome to visit any library branch and use the library's physical resources. To use public workstations and electronic resources, please register with the library by using the "Sign Up" button on the login screen at the library or registering ahead of time (link on webpage).
Borrowing Privileges for Visitors
For borrowing and ILL privileges, a guest not affiliated with UBC may obtain a "Community Borrower" card. Please apply in person at either the Koerner Library Circulation Desk or Okanagan Library.

Fees and times may vary, so please visit the site for further details and instructions, as well as a full list of privileges and limitations.
Print, Copy, Scan Services
Self-service photocopying and printing is available with a UBC Guest Card photocopy/printing card, which can be obtained at a card machine at any of the branch libraries or circulation desks.

The price of a photocopy or printed page is 7¢ for black and white, or 40¢ for color. A page is defined by the university as one side of a 8.5" x 11" sheet of paper.

Give Us Your Feedback

For all comments and questions about the Guide, please e-mail us:

mlaguide@nccjapan.net